Post navigation

The First Day Back

It’s hard for me to believe that my maternity leave is history. When A was born, twelve weeks seemed like a good long time. I had a mental list of things I hoped to accomplish, which of course, was a joke. Most days, I was lucky to take a shower or brush my teeth. And I didn’t have the mental fortitude to form a solid declarative sentence, so writing was out. Sleep depravation will do that to you.

Now that my leave is over, being a complete mess is no longer an option. I have to get a kid on the school bus, a baby off to daycare, and myself to the office in time for a daily 9 a.m. meeting. Showers and brushed teeth are mandatory.

My plan for today was to rise at 6 and spend an hour getting myself together before I woke the kids. Then I would feed the baby while E for dressed. She and I would have breakfast at 7:30, be done by 8, and out the door by 8:10.

What do they say about the best laid plans? Here’s how it went down:

I woke up at 6, but I didn’t get out of bed until 6:45. I knew once I put my foot on the floor that my leave would be officially over, and I had a little trouble accepting that. However, I rallied and was in a full-face of makeup by 7. My clothes were on the bed so that I could feed the baby and avoid spit-up accidents.

Apparently, I forgot to give A a copy of the schedule. She wanted to eat for 40 minutes instead of the usual 30. Maybe she had trouble accepting the end of maternity leave too.

Next, the darling pleated skirt I planned to wear looked awful with the jacket I picked. It also didn’t look all that hot with the three sweaters and two shirts I subsequently tried. Plus, none of my shoes fit anymore. After another 15 minutes, I ended up in a completely different outfit.

My eldest daughter, by some miracle, was on her game. She was dressed and ready to go by 7:45. We were out the door by 8:10, but I had to make a few trips back inside for forgotten items after E caught the bus.

I was at work by 9, so I’d say I did all right. Baby girl won over the entire daycare staff with her cuteness; it seems as though her day went well too.

Homework and dinner are long since done. The girls are in bed, and I’ve packed everything for tomorrow. We’ll see if I can do well two days in a row.